Celtic continued their dominant start to the Scottish Premiership season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St Mirren at the SMiSA Stadium on Sunday. The Hoops were made to work for all three points by a stubborn Saints side, but a second-half winner secured a result that keeps the champions firmly at the summit of the early standings.

The match, played in a lively atmosphere in Paisley, saw Celtic control large swathes of possession while St Mirren posed a constant threat on the counter. The visitors eventually found the breakthrough they needed, but not before the home side had given them a genuine scare. For the neutral, it was a compelling advert for the Scottish top flight; for Celtic, it was another test of character passed.

First half: Celtic dominate but St Mirren hold firm

Celtic settled quickly and dictated the tempo from the opening exchanges. Their high defensive line and quick combinations in the middle third pinned St Mirren deep, with the home side happy to sit in a compact 4-4-2 shape and look for chances in transition. Despite enjoying the lion’s share of the ball, the visitors struggled to create clear-cut openings in the final third as St Mirren defended the width of their box with discipline.

The deadlock was finally broken midway through the half. A well-worked move down the right flank saw Celtic’s full-back overlap and deliver a low cross into the box. The ball broke kindly for Kyogo Furuhashi, who took one touch to steady himself before firing low into the far corner. It was a typical poacher’s finish from the Japanese striker, who had been quiet up to that point but showed his ruthless edge when it mattered.

St Mirren responded well to going behind, refusing to let their heads drop. Their equaliser came just before half-time from a set piece—a recurring concern for Celtic this season. A deep corner was flicked on at the near post, and Alex Gogic was on hand to bundle the ball over the line from close range. The SMiSA Stadium erupted as Saints restored parity, and the match went into the break level.

Second half: Celtic show composure to find the winner

After the restart, Celtic adjusted their approach, showing more patience in the build-up and committing extra numbers forward. They pushed higher up the pitch and pinned St Mirren back inside their own third for extended periods, but Saints goalkeeper Zach Hemming produced several smart saves to keep the scoreline level.

As the clock ticked past the 70th minute, Celtic introduced fresh legs on the wings to stretch a tiring St Mirren defence. The decision proved decisive. With just over 15 minutes remaining, a slick passing sequence involving Callum McGregor and substitute Nicolas Kühn carved open the home defence. Kühn cut inside from the right and delivered a low, driven cross that was turned in at the near post by Alistair Johnston, who had arrived late into the box to make it 2-1.

St Mirren pushed for a second equaliser in the closing stages, with Celtic forced to defend deep inside their own penalty area. However, the visitors held firm, with central defenders winning the key aerial duels and goalkeeper Joe Hart producing one vital late stop to preserve the lead.

Tactical story: control versus counter-pressing

Celtic’s supremacy was built on their ability to dominate the ball, with over 65 per cent possession across the 90 minutes. Their build-up play was patient and structured, designed to tire the St Mirren midfield before exploiting the spaces that opened up late on. The visitors also pushed their full-backs extremely high, which created a two-versus-one overload on the wings but did leave areas to be exploited on the break.

St Mirren, meanwhile, executed a disciplined game plan. They were compact without the ball, looking to force turnovers in the middle third and release their wide forwards in transition. Their goal came from a set piece, but they also created one or two promising counter-attacking opportunities, particularly in the second half when the game opened up.

Standout players

• Nicolas Kühn (Celtic) – The German winger changed the game after coming off the bench, providing the assist for the winner with a sharp, low delivery.
• Alex Gogic (St Mirren) – Tireless in midfield and took his goal well, representing a constant aerial presence in both boxes.
• Alistair Johnston (Celtic) – His late run into the box typified the attacking intent demanded by the manager, and he took his chance with confidence.
• Zach Hemming (St Mirren) – Made several excellent saves to keep Saints in the match for so long.

What the result means

The victory keeps Celtic unbeaten at the top of the Sc